RCS Advice

[Fluxtor]

I guess this has been asked a 1000 times but I recently added 10 RCS to my 70ltr low tech tank and I've not seen any for days. Current inhabitants are 4 x CPD, 1 x Blood Fin Tetra, 2 x Otto, 4 x Cory Julii, 3 x Amanos, and a pair of GBR. The male GBR is a complete knob and constantly chasing the female which I fear is stressing the other tank mates considerably so much so I may move the RAMS on.

My water params tested with API drip tests are as follows.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
pH: 7.5
Phosphate: 0.2
KH: 7
GH: 11
TDS: 280

I know shrimp are pretty good hiders but I would expect to see 1 or 2 occasionally. I even try to stalk them when the lights are out but alas nothing to see. I fear I may have lost them all to predation or params not suitable. Is there anything I can put in the tank food wise that might tempt them out of hiding? I've read so many posts where people thought they'd lost all their shrimp only to find more than they put in when breaking the tank down!

TIA

 

[hypnogogia]

They’re either hiding because you have predators or they’ve already been gobbled up.

 

[Fluxtor]

Would this be the RAMS specifically or the Amanos?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I've read so many posts where people thought they'd lost all their shrimp only to find more than they put in when breaking the tank down!

Could they have ended up in the filter?

They’re either hiding because you have predators or they’ve already been gobbled up.

Would this be the RAMS specifically

Likely to be.

cheers Darrel

 

[Fluxtor]

Hi all,

Could they have ended up in the filter?

cheers Darrel

The filter is pretty shrimp safe, only tiny inlet holes so very unlikely. I won't rule it out though till my next maintenance session!

Cheers

 

[Apistonerd]

It's the rams they love shrimp I haven't had much success with shrimp and rams unless you put so many in there at once that they can't eat them all. Or you put the shrimp in first and let the establish a colony before the rams go in. I have however had great success with apistogramas and shrimp they don't chase them as hard and any tank I have apistos in they also have shrimp. If you want dwarf cichlids with shrimp they could be a better option.

 

[Apistonerd]

Just to clarify I'm not saying that apistos won't eat shrimp they will buy more opportunistic feeder than actively hunting them all the time

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Just to clarify I'm not saying that apistos won't eat shrimp

I think it might <"depend on the species">. I kept Apistogramma cacatuoides and they were <"great shrimp hunters">. I think any species with a large mouth is likely to prey fairly heavily on shrimps.

cheers Darrel

 

[Fluxtor]

Thank's guys. I love my GBR pair they're so stunning but think I may have to take them back to the store or move them on as just causing to much stress to other tank mates. Maybe I just got unlucky with a particularly frisky male but he is literally pestering the female 24/7! I'm surprised he has the energy lol!

 

[Apistonerd]

Yea I agree it definitely depends on species and tank size. I just have had way better success in colonizing shrimps with apistos rather than rams. Never had a colony disappear with them. However I did get amazon Puffers in my tank and they are serious predators lol if you to see 150 shrimp disappear put them in their lol

 

[Fluxtor]

Well, I didn't think it would be possible for any to be in my filter but found 2 alive and what could be remains in my filter doing maintenance tonight. Not sure if that's all that's left and if they will survive .... gutted!

 

[Maf 2500]

Sorry to hear that. They can get through surprisingly small holes. You need either a block of foam or a stainless steel mesh thingy to make your filter inlet totally shrimp safe.